“The surrounding landscape interested us more than unexciting development context. Hilly area and forest in the background has become a main point of reference. The building fits to existing topography, coincides with the landscape. House is open towards the most interesting views and separate from the nearest buildings. From the street we can see single-storey building with garage and glass foyer between. This characteristic body of the buildings have a required by the local law sloping roofs, they are covered totally with slate. Concrete fence wall marks platform with building, entrance area, driveway and wooden terrace suspended over the ground. Bedrooms are located downstairs. This part of the building is partially covered by ground and invisible from the street. Under the upper terrace, at the ground level is second, fully covered terrace. Exterior cantilevered stairs link both terraces. In interiors, white surfaces of walls and slanted ceiling are complemented by glass, polished concrete and natural wood floors, wooden stairs and dark accessories. On the top level there is open living room. Pantry, study room, toilet and kitchen were hidden in white cuboid. Above cuboid there is mezzanine with bookcase. Wooden stairs are a conspicuous part of the living room. When we go downstairs we can walk out directly to lower terrace. On this floor there are 2 rooms for children, main bedroom with dressing room, toilet, technical rooms with laundry room and climbing gym. In addition, a storage accessible from the outside is located on the lower floor.”

“Soori Bali lies within the Tabanan Regency, one of Bali’s most fertile and picturesque regions. Here, the landscape ranges from volcanic mountains and verdant rice terraces to beautiful black-sand beaches overlooking the Indian Ocean. The location provides for a complete hideaway and offers numerous quality views of the surrounding beach, ocean, mountains and rice fields.

Soori Bali was designed with the overt principle of green sustainable initiatives in mind. The project is conceived to be both climatically and socially reactive to its locale. The design responds to the notions of climate and place, and endeavors to engage the local landscape and community. The design of the resort was approached with a sensitivity to the nuances of the site setting, and thus executed with the strategy of minimal environmental impact, minimal built footprint and with local cultural practices (religious and ceremonial processions) taken into consideration.

With an understanding that the beach is an important socio-economical aspect of the site, deliberate efforts were taken to consult and incorporate the customs and contributions of the local community within the conceptual design process. The construction methods adopted also creates training and jobs for the neighbouring villages. About 50% of the workers currently on site are recruited from the surrounding community.

The resort reflects on its privileged location by adopting the predominant use of locally sourced materials, together with a careful integration of indigenous motifs, forms and elements. The result, a harmonious balance between the clean, contemporary lines of the architecture and the soothing tones and textures of the internal and external finishes and finishing.

The design of the restaurant terrace and spa facilities incorporates terracotta screens; adapted and stylized from traditional Balinese motifs. These screens generate a marked visual contrast when combined with the dark terrazzo floors and feature walls clad in dark grey volcanic lava stones, such as Batu Candi and Batu Karangasem.

The villas are characterized by the interplay of materials which flow from the interior to exterior spaces. Smooth terrazzo walls and floors are combined with hand brushed natural timber screens, soft silk upholstery and custom designed dark stained timber furniture to form a serene internal space. The use of timber flows into the external spaces, where timber screens wrap a private bale overlooking a private plunge pool lined with Sukabumi stone. Paras Kelating, a light grey volcanic stone is applied to feature walls along the pool edge which combine with soft hues of beige and warm grey textured paint to complete the palette.

A mixture of Villa types were sensitively designed to respond to the local climatic conditions whilst maximizing views out to the surrounding beach, sea and paddy fields. Careful consideration is given to each villa plan and its built form and details to create a comfortable, energy efficient resort style living.

PASSIVE DESIGN ELEMENT The climatic parameters particular to site, sun movement and prevailing wind direction, were established to assist in the formulation of the orientation of villas and common areas, and their planning concept.

The major building orientation is toward the North-South direction. Some are tilted a few degrees to the East to incorporate the morning sun. Openings were maximized on North-South face to encourage filtered natural light into the building whilst minimizing large openings on west side to reduce heat gain during daytime. Provision of overhanging roof eaves, roof screen systems and deep ledges were employed to reduce heat from direct sunlight.

Operable windows are provided on at least two sides of each room plan, and on each end of the villa to encourage effective cross ventilation and to bring in natural air to the interior spaces. Cross ventilation to all room interiors would provide natural cooling and sufficient fresh air intake in room to minimize CO2 level, thus reducing the reliance on Air Conditioning Systems.

In addition to the siting aspect and layout design of the villas, several design elements and materials were intentionally selected to control the buildings on a micro-climate level.

Provision of a 2nd layer of timer trellis on villa roof would minimize direct heat absorption to the roof itself; the actual roof incorporates additional insulation to further reduce heat gain internally. Material finishes are using “cool colors” in both the paint and stone selections to minimize the absorption of thermal energy, local materials selected naturally respond to the local climate, for e.g. Paras Kelating, Paras Kerobokan, Batu Chandi & Batu Kali for Feature Walls throughout the resort. Location of planters and position of low shrubs and taller trees would be placed to maximize wind flow through villa and common spaces, thus avoiding creation of wind barriers.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN The exterior hardscape and softscape designs are intended to create a seamless transition between the interior and exterior spaces, with the specific goal in preserving the natural topography. Built elements are planned to sit ‘lightly’ on the land. The selection of trees responds to both the local climate and the resort planning with tree types playing a key role in the creation of ‘shaded spaces’, private pavilions and communal areas.

Due to the relatively severe coastal conditions which exist during certain periods of the year, the landscape design also incorporates a variety of indigenous local plants and coastal ‘hardy’ species, for e.g. Ipomoea Pes-caprae, Scaevola Taccada, Cocos Nucifera & Cerbera Odollam. This selection identifies and responds to the need for less long term maintenance and reduced water requirements for irrigation.”

When remodeling this home, an attempt was made to preserve the most important aspects of the old construction, and so respect the wishes of the homeowners.

View in galleryHouse with concrete and stone walls, seen through the garden

Miguel de la Torre Arquitectos was in charge of the remodeling in the year 2016. The property is located in Colonia San Angel, a neighborhood of Mexico City, Mexico.

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In its exterior, walls of stone and concrete mix with the green of the gardens that surround the home. The home has large terraces from where we can enjoy time spent alongside nature, as well as large glass doors through which light seeps into the interior.

View in galleryTerrace with hardwood floorsView in gallery

A beautiful main entrance area welcomes us with a decorative touch of the style of the area. The foyer is characterized by its rustic stone floors, concrete walls, wooden beams that protrude from the ceiling, and decorated floor tiles that give a unique feel to the space.

View in galleryEntrance with stone floors, concrete walls, and ceiling with wooden beams

The modern minimalist kitchen, where wooden floors and exposed brick walls create a wonderful contrast between the modern and the rustic, is a space full of light and good taste.

View in galleryModern kitchen with wooden walls and floors

In the simple and comfortable living room, the real protagonist is the fireplace, set between concrete walls.

View in galleryLiving room fireplace in concrete wall

In a common space are the living room, dining room, and the kitchen.

View in galleryModern dining room, floor and walls in woodView in galleryModern dining room, floor and walls in wood

The architectural firm Rob Paulus Architects renovated this construction in 2012 for a doctor. Its size is of 4500 ft2, and is located in Tucson, Arizona, USA. This renovation opens up the house to encompass the lush desert landscape while improving the interior of the property. The new shapes are crisp and clean to contrast with the rounded exterior of the existing building.

View in galleryTerrace with arid vegetation

Using a reductive approach in the interior, the walls are disassembled to provide better function, circulation, and views. Outside, an existing trellis porch transforms into an outdoor living room and a kitchen with a new elevated canopy.

View in galleryLarge decorated terraceView in galleryOutdoor furnitureView in galleryPool areaView in galleryLiving area in leather furnitureView in galleryLarge kitchen-dining area

A palette of colors and natural material dominates the new scheme with an emphasis on fir wood that was influenced by the client’s desire to create spaces inspired by nature. This warm wood is used in all interior cabinets, but it also appears on the outside as the bottom part of the roof plane that hangs over the area of ​​the outdoor room. The existing closed house is transformed to interact with the exterior while creating a relaxing interior space in a decidedly modern transformation.

View in galleryModern kitchen in woodView in galleryView in galleryTV roomView in galleryView in galleryModern sink areaView in galleryPool area at night hours

This fabulous and modern apartment located in the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, has been designed by the architects Ivan Yunakov, Olga Korniienko, Natali Raga, and Yaroslav Katrich, all working for the firm 33bY Architecture. The client was a young entrepreneur, and the home has a distinct industrial style.

View in galleryElegant entrance in black and gold

It has an area of 97 square meters and was carried out in 2018. In the interior, a palette of dark colors and a variety of materials were used, with different structures. Among those materials were brick, natural African black stone, onyx, leather, copper, and wood. Upon entering the apartment, the first thing we notice is the wall made of black stone on one side, and the black surface with golden decoration elements on the other side. The living room is combined with a kitchen, a dining room, and a work space.

View in gallerySpacious and modern loungeView in galleryElegant lounge area

The space was separated by using glass partitions, looking to align the boundaries between the facilities, but at the same time to achieve open and floating spaces. The glass structure is made by using the “smart glass” system technology; it can be converted to matt to achieve greater privacy within the room.

The panel that was used to balance the dark tones is white onyx with backlighting framed by copper edges. It works at night and creates a cozy atmosphere, and is the focal point of our interior, seen from all the main facilities of the apartment.

View in galleryModern furniture in leatherView in galleryStone wallView in gallerykitchen areaView in galleryModern kitchen with bronze detailsView in galleryDetailsView in gallerySober dining roomView in galleryModern room with brick wallView in galleryView in galleryRoom connected with modern bathroomView in galleryModern and elegant bathroomView in galleryModern and elegant bathroomView in gallery

With the aim of optimizing the reuse of small plots, part of a new policy of the mayor of London, the architectural firm FORMstudio set to work on this new project, located in London Borough of Southwark, United Kingdom. The 240 square meter area is part of this new plan that encourages municipalities to proactively support new, well-designed homes in small plots through planning in order to significantly increase the way small challenging plots can meet the needs of housing in London. Benbow Yard is a perfect response to this policy.

View in gallerySmall terrace with stone wall

The houses with patio, in the London district of Southwark are located in a closed and irregular plot, previously occupied by a metal factory. The challenging site had narrow access, perspectives and problems with daylight, and these limitations have directly determined the shape and the fenestration of the pair of new single-family, two-story and three-bedroom homes.

View in galleryTerrace connected to the interiorView in galleryModern lounge area

The ground floors are lined with a contemporary pale brick with vaulted floors with zinc coating for retaining walls: materials that refer to the industrial heritage of the site but that are articulated with a refined level of detail to create a sense of quality.

View in galleryLiving room with stone wallView in galleryLiving room-kitchen in modern styleView in galleryModern minimalist kitchenView in galleryModern dining room in woodView in galleryView in galleryStairs in woodView in galleryRoom full of natural lightView in galleryModern bathroomView in galleryExterior night viewView in gallery

This modern café is located in the city of Maemachi Chuo-ku Hyogo, in Japan, an area where there are still many old, Western-style buildings which has a very striking and exotic atmosphere. The building where the cafe is located is not an old Western-style building, but it is designed to look like one. Blue Bottle Coffee Kobe Cafe has a high ceiling and ample storage space on the ground floor, located between high fashion brands stores.

The purpose of the design was to maximize the feeling of spaciousness by building a simple island-style structure where coffee functions are concentrated and seeking to counteract the exotic atmosphere of the area with a simple but distinctive style.

View in galleryModern interior with wooden furniture

With an industrial style where we can see exposed pipes in the concrete ceiling and simple furniture in light wood, the space invites us to enjoy its simple decoration.

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This modern residence of open spaces and full of natural light was re-designed by the architecture firm David Coleman Architecture in 2015 in the city of Seattle, United States. It has an area of 6058 ft2, and we can see the result of the attempts to merge both the interior and the exterior. The original house, designed in 1956 by a prominent Seattle architect, is located in the private enclave of Broadmoor. It was conceived as a serpentine structure of a single floor.

View in galleryView of the external terraces

The objective of the firm was to clarify the layout; add where necessary to improve habitability, merge the interior and exterior space where possible, and improve the general ambience. To achieve this, a series of initiatives were launched that had the effect of better defining the access to the house, the movement through the house, and the relationship between the interior and exterior space. This resulted in a transformation of the whole, raising the overall quality of the building and the landscape, allowing the promise of the original structures and the site to be fully realized.

View in galleryMain entranceView in gallery

The plan preserves the openness that one expects in a modern home, but it also contains an appearance of intimacy that is not expected in such a large and open building. This is achieved through the insertion of subtle but effective architectural devices, all lending a more human and accessible scale.

View in gallerySpacious interior full of lightView in galleryModern kitchen areaView in galleryModern kitchen in woodView in galleryView in galleryLarge living roomView in galleryInternal corridors connect the areasView in galleryWooden internal stairsView in galleryRoom with glass wallsView in galleryLarge bathroom in woodView in galleryView in galleryLarge bathroomView in galleryNocturnal viewView in galleryView in galleryView in gallery

This new home of some 300 square meters was designed in the Puntarenas Canton area of Costa Rica by the architectural firm Benjamin Garcia Saxe Architecture in 2013. The Gooden-Nahome family wanted to create their home on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and found an incredible site overlooking the sea. The biggest obstacle they found was that the site was predominantly on a very steep slope, and the view of the ocean is captured only in the upper-middle part of the ground. However, they did not see this as a negative aspect but rather saw the opportunity to explore together an architecture that was appropriate for these conditions.

Together they explored the possibilities of creating large retaining walls in order to relocate the house on the land, which is a technique commonly used by most houses in the area.

View in galleryViews from the house to the seaView in galleryView of the terrace area with poolView in galleryLarge terrace with sea viewsView in galleryRest area insideView in galleryModern living-dining areaView in galleryModern kitchen with viewsView in galleryRoom with wooden floors

In the end, they decided to do exactly the opposite, and in fact allow the slope, land, vegetation, water and animals to flow underneath the house. The house was elevated, and by doing so, made it possible to save on the immense cost of creating retaining walls. This almost common sense decision created a very light intervention that allows the terrain to breathe while providing a spectacular ocean view from the key location on the site.

View in galleryRoom with private terraceView in galleryBathroom connected to the outside

Located in the village of Baaddat in Mount Lebanon, twenty miles above Beirut, this detached villa has excellent views over the mountainous landscape. It has an area of 562 square meters and was designed in 2016 by the architectural firm Joe Serrins Studio, under the guidance of its architects Joe Serrins and Jared Brownell. The property is covered with pine nut trees that cling to the rocky slope that falls twenty meters on a 45 degree slope. The architecture allows us to cross the steep slope and put us in contact with the landscape.

View in galleryView of the villa on the topView in galleryVilla surrounded by tall treesView in galleryDetails of the exterior of the villaView in galleryViews of the town over the cityView in galleryPool areaView in galleryDetails of the interior

The program is organized by floors: the lowest level is the garage, and level two includes a media room and three bedrooms. The third level is the living room that has high ceilings and the largest of the four terraces. The fourth level contains the master suite and a private terrace with a pool hidden against the hillside. The building is mostly made of concrete, typical of structures of this size in the region.

The exterior is covered with a coarse gray stone interrupted by a volume of white plaster and several folding glass planes with operable doors. The landscape terraces and property debris walls are made with a local rock with a rough face.

View in gallerySalon in cream and black tonesView in galleryDining room with viewsView in galleryWooden stairsView in galleryRoom with terraceView in galleryDouble roomView in galleryBathroom connected to the outsideView in galleryNight view of the exteriorView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in gallery

In a quiet street in the city of Akashi, in Hyogo prefecture, Japan, is this house designed by the architect Yousaku Tsutsumi of the architectural firm Arbol. It has 81 square meters on one floor where three patios have been designed.

View in galleryView of the wooden entrance

They sought to make their spaces harmonize with the wind, sunlight and lifestyle, since the house is surrounded by forests. Without invasion of privacy, approaching nature, the design mixes a rich life that eliminates the barriers between the inside and outside, in order to feel the endless expansion to the outside world from the comfort of their home.

View in galleryBlack fireplaceView in galleryLiving room overlooking the small garden

As for natural light, the design takes direct sunlight and the reflection of light on the exterior wall. The afternoon sun, which comes from unexpected places through waves of sunlight that seep through the trees, flows silently into the rooms in winter

In the surroundings, the house is closed, seeking to provide privacy to its inhabitants. The plan was created to create a feeling of warm life, with rich vegetation.

View in galleryDining room connectedView in galleryDining room in fine woodView in galleryView in galleryLight wood kitchenView in galleryBath in simple linesView in galleryNight view of the dining roomView in galleryNight view of the diningView in galleryNight view of the livingView in galleryView in galleryNight view of the exteriorView in gallery

The architectural firm TEd’A Arquitectes was commissioned to carry out this project that consisted of the interior remodeling of an old apartment located in the Gracia neighborhood of Barcelona, Spain.

View in galleryWalls and closet divide the spaces

The project focuses its efforts on a single strategy, which consists of opening the floor longitudinally. The entire project is condensed into a single gesture that manages to visually connect the street and the interior courtyard, joining the opposite and, until now, distant façades. A single element is the heart of this strategy. A new wardrobe crosses the entire house from one end to the other. Those in charge of this project, architects Irene Pérez and Jaume Mayol, who in 2017 managed to create functional and welcoming spaces in this 65 square meter floor.

View in galleryOpen entrance and full of natural lightView in gallerySimple and cozy lounge area

There was, previously, a pavement of clay tiles of 13×13 cm placed diagonally. Its condition was not very good: it had been partially modified, there were many patches and different types of tiles, the result of alterations and overlapping modifications. It was decided, thus, to replace the pavement with a new one. They chose a hydraulic pavement manufactured by Huguet.

View in gallerySmall dining room with round wooden tableView in galleryEntrance to the side kitchenView in galleryNarrow wooden kitchenView in galleryEntrance to the room with wooden doorsView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in gallery

Perfectly integrated into the natural environment of a wooded area on the outskirts of Guatemala City and trying to erase the edges between interior and exterior in a particular way is this imposing construction of 415 square meters of construction.

View in galleryView of the imposing front of the cabin

The person in charge of the project, Alejandro Paz, who is a central part of the architectural firm Paz Arquitectura, set to work and remodeled the old construction that had been built in 1985 – and which consisted of a small cabin that had a cantilevered platform of large proportions – in a functional way. The original construction had a triangular metal frame whose structure allowed the platform to fly over the slopes of the mountain. The cabin had only a small social area, a kitchen, and in the upper part a small bedroom.

View in gallerySide view of the cottageView in galleryLarge terrace with views of the forestView in galleryEntrance areaView in galleryEntrance areaView in galleryInternal corridors with glass wallsView in galleryLarge kitchen-dining areaView in galleryBath open to the outside

30 years after it was built, the owners requested an extension in order to obtain more formal spaces with proportions according to their contemporary lifestyle. The forest around the original cabin grew, and the vegetation occupied an important space around the whole project. The design strategy consisted in respecting the original cabin, since the sense of space, risk and permanence of its architectural configuration was valued. In view of the need for a social area and a single bedroom, two independent modules were generated on each side of the original cabin.

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This luxurious restaurant, located in Bangkok, Thailand, is not conceived as a decorative interior space, but as a holistic experience that combines art, architecture, food and people. As a ladder emerges and disappears into the sky, NOWHERE captures the moment between the beginning and the end, between space and time, creating a unique social platform. The stairs become the identity of the space, allowing visitors to expand their own perception in an architectural conception that leads to a new culinary experience.

View in galleryTerrace with wonderful views over the cityView in galleryLarge interior with glass walls

The architectural firm Stu/D/O Architects was in charge of the hand of its professionals Apichart Srirojanapinyo, Chanasit Cholasuek, Park Lertchanyakul and Thanipath Thanawuttimanas to carry out, in 2017, this project that has an area of 250 meters squares.

The seemingly endless stairs offer visitors endless interpretations; alluding to an endless space that allows “space” for the imagination. The unyielding nature of the stairs contrasts directly with the transient nature of the restaurant from day to night.

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Traditionally, stairs have been used to connect disparate levels, the stairs in this case form a cohesive whole. Flowing through the entire space, the stairs allow each activity and function to flow without divisions. Offering surreal functionality in its architectural design, NOWHERE is a distinctive gastronomic and social experience.

View in galleryUnique design of stairsView in galleryView in galleryDetail of decorative stairsView in galleryInterior night viewView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in gallery

This fabulous project is the envy of its neighbors and that is the result of this renovation, carried out by the architect Ali Malek along with his team of professionals Tony Dinardo and Daniele Laurentini, all working for the architectural firm Urbanscape Architects, could not be more successful

View in galleryModern living area

The house, designed for a family of four, is located in the city of Toronto, Canada,has an area of 205 square meters of construction distributed over 3 floors, and was carried out in 2017.

The new house refers to the previous life of its owners in New York City, accommodating their current work and the lives of these two active professionals and their young children. An integral home is personalized with flexible and multipurpose spaces suitable for a growing family. Mainly, the design strategy responds to the owners’ need to have natural light, air and views flow into their living space.

View in galleryLarge and modern kitchen

The design strategy was achieved through architectural gestures. First, the interior partitions were dated to create a memorable and welcoming home, characterized by its intimate relationship with its landscape and immediate context. And later, a custom skylight was meticulously placed to be visible from every point on the first, second and third floors.

View in galleryWhite kitchen in minimalist styleView in galleryModern wooden stairsView in galleryLarge bathroom in whiteView in galleryBathroom with white marble floorsView in galleryNight view of the exteriorView in galleryView in galleryExterior view of the neighborhoodView in galleryView in galleryView in galleryView in gallery